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Many people complain about glossy advertisements and TV commercials as an obnoxious way for companies to invade our everyday lives and cram their products down our throats. But that’s not all that printed ads are good for. The best commercials on this list are excellent examples of the most effective advertising strategies for social issues marketing campaigns that let their voices be heard.
A well-made advertisement is designed to grab your attention and remain in your memory long after you’ve left it behind, and that is precisely what many of these social problems need. Getting people to think and worry about various social and environmental issues, such as human trafficking, racism, and air pollution, is significant for raising public support and affecting meaningful changes.
A few of these ads are commercial ads. However, it’s nice that they champion socially or environmentally aware causes/products. Like commercial advertisements, having just the facts isn’t enough. They are essential, but the ad must also appeal to the observer’s emotions to raise social awareness. Many studies have indicated that feelings can powerfully affect memory formation, ensuring that memories with emotion last longer than those without.
Effective Advertising Examples
Howard Luck Gossage (HLG), aka ‘The Socrates of San Francisco,’ was an advertising innovator and a marketing genius. He led some brilliant and effective advertising campaigns that changed the face of advertising.
HLG once said, “Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest—it’s much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.” We definitely agree, which is why we wanted to share this list of excellent advertisement examples with you! Let’s get started, shall we?
Torture Victims Are People Just Like You And Me
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Advico Y&R, Zurich, Switzerland
Stop The Violence: Don’t Drink And Drive
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Terremoto Propaganda, Curitiba, Brazil
Premature Ending: “If you smoke, statistically your story will end 15% before it should.”
“THE END. If you smoke, statistically your story will end 15% before it should. For help with quitting call QUITTLINE on 0200 00 22 00” (Advertising Agency: Iris, London, UK)
World Wide Fund For Nature: Frightening vs. More Frightening
Advertising Agency: DDB&CO., Istanbul, Turkey
Your Skin Color Shouldn’t Dictate Your Future
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Publicis Conseil, Paris, France
What Makes Advertising Effective?
Printed, television, or social media; your ad can be of any type. Whichever type you choose, here are a few tips for making effective ads.
- Ads should capture the attention of the viewers instantly and keep them engaged. With receding attention spans, you barely have seconds to capture this attention. So, jump directly to the message of your ad and be bold rather than beating around the bush.
- Your ads must carry a clear and memorable message that’s easy to understand. If your message is simple and clear, the viewers are likely to remember it.
- Ads should not just contain facts about the product/service you are advertising about but also narrate a story. But instead of “telling” a story, your ads should “show” the story.
- Emotions are universal human traits. If your ad has an emotional appeal, viewers can empathize with it and actually connect with the message you are trying to deliver.
- Once viewers can connect with your ad, it should prompt them to take action. Provide clear instructions or CTA (call-to-action) on what they should do next. For example, encourage them to purchase your product/service, visit your website, sign up for your weekly newsletter, etc.
- Along with everything else, your ads should also mention the benefits of the product/service that you are offering. Basically, explain to the viewers why they should pick you.
Deforestation Continues With The Turn Of A Page
Advertising Agency: LINKSUS, Beijing, China
Unhate
Advertising Agency: Fabrica, Italy
Elm Grove Police Department: Slower Is Better
Advertising Agency: Cramer-Krasselt, Milwaukee, USA
Save Paper – Save The Planet
Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Copenhagen, Denmark
Air Pollution Kills 60.000 People A Year
Advertising Agency: unknown
Liking Isn’t Helping. Be A Volunteer. Change A Life
Advertising Agency: Publicis, Singapore
Bird Conservation: If You Don’t Pick It Up They Will
Advertising Agency: TBWAHuntLascaris, Johannesburg, South Africa
What We See When You Smoke
Advertising Agency: JWT, Atlanta, USA
Animal Anti-Cruelty League: That’s Not A Football
Advertising Agency: Lowe Bull, Cape Town, South Africa
Bangalore Traffic Police: Don’t Talk While Driving
Advertising Agency: Mudra Group, India
Child Soldiers: It’s Not Happening Here, But It’s Happening Now
Image credits: Creative/Art director Pius Walker, Amnesty International, Switzerland.
Censorship Tells The Wrong Story
Advertising Agency: Memac Ogilvy & Mather Dubai, UAE
Distracted Driving: Think Of Both Sides
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Red Pepper, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Every 60 Seconds a Species Dies Out. Each Minute Counts
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Scholz & Friends, Berlin, Germany
Innocence In Danger: Where’s The Pedophile?
Art Director: Michael Arguello, Copywriter: Bassam Tariq, Additional credits: Jason Musante
Sexual Predators Can Hide In Your Child’s Smartphone
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Herezie, Paris, France
Smoking Causes Premature Aging
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Euro RSCG Australia
You’re Not A Sketch. Say No To Anorexia
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Revolution Brasil
Neglected Children Are Made To Feel Invisible. Stop Child Abuse Now
“To dramatize the issue of neglect, we placed mannequins dressed as children behind billposters. When the inevitable happened, we revealed a second message.” (Australian Childhood Foundation, JWT Melbourne)
Global Action In The Interest of Animals: Plastic Bags Kill
Advertising Agency: BBDO Malaysia, MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur / Advertising Agency: Duval Guillaume, Belgium
What Goes Around Comes Around. Keep The Sea Clean
Image credits: Advertising Agency: JWT, Dubai, UAE
Tailgating Isn’t Worth It. Give Trucks Room
Advertising Agency: Amélie Company, Denver, Colorado, USA
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: When You See A Tuna, Think Panda
Advertising Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Singapore
Sleepiness Is Stronger Than You. Don’t Drive Sleepy
Image credits: Advertising Agency: BBDO Bangkok, Thailand
See How Easy Feeding The Hungry Can Be?
Image credits: Advertising Agency: TBWAHuntLascaris, Johannesburg, South Africa
Causing Cancer By Yourself
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Dentsu, Beijing, China
Deforestation And The Air We Breathe: Before It’s Too Late
Image credits: Advertising Agency: TBWAPARIS, France
For The Homeless, Every Day Is A Struggle
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne, Australia
The Prvention Beer Mug: Please Don’t Lose Control Over Your Drinking
Image credits: Advertising Agency: EURORSCG Prague, Czech Republic
One Child Is Holding Something That’s Been Banned In America To Protect Them. Guess Which One?
Advertising Agency: Grey, Toronto, Canada
Breast Cancer Awareness Bra
Advertising Agency: Bolero, Fortaleza, Brazil
What Goes Around Comes Around: Stop The Iraq War
Advertising Agency: Big Ant International, New York, USA
UN Women: Auto-Complete Shows Perceptions Of Women
Image credits: Advertising Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Dubai, UAE
Don’t Buy Exotic Animal Souvenirs
Advertising Agency: LOWE GGK, Warsaw, Poland
Animal Abuse And Shelters: Same Pet, Different Owner
Advertising Agency: TBWA-Santiago Mangada Puno, Philippines
Buckle up. Stay alive
Advertising Agency: Lg2, Quebec, Canada
Powerful Ads to Raise Awareness
Now, wasn’t that a rollercoaster of emotions? The above ads didn’t just tug at our heartstrings; they clearly delivered their message and “showed” us the story behind the message. But we would love to hear from you, too; let us know in the comments whether you found these ads powerful! Feel free to share this with your friends who are in love with the marketing world or anyone you know who appreciates an impactful ad.
RELATED: 35 Of The Most Powerful Ads by WWF
Popular Questions About Powerful Advertisements (FAQ)
Why Are Ads So Powerful?
Ads don’t just appeal to the emotional senses of viewers but also inform them about something within a few seconds or a few words. Their ability to grab attention and create an impact makes them powerful.
What is the Most Powerful Element in Advertising?
According to Bill Bernach, aka ‘The Father of Creative Advertising,’ “The most powerful element in advertising is the TRUTH.”
What is the Fastest-Growing Type of Advertising?
Digital advertising is the fastest-growing type of advertising, according to Statista.
What is the Most Powerful Word in Advertising?
There isn’t a single powerful word in advertising. However, some of the most powerful ones are you, click, free, exclusive, easy, safe, proven, and now.
What do you think ?
Lauren Christie 3 years ago
I'm sorry but - say no to anorexia? Why don't you just do "Say no to schizophrenia" while you're at it?
Shannon M 2 years ago
I’m personally not a fan of the plastic bags— I get what they’re going for, but why make the plastic bags at all? Why not make paper bags… you know, so the plastic isn’t a problem in the first place?? It’s like “Plastic bags are awful and they kill animals— please take our plastic bag to remind you of that”.
Unslaadahsil 1 year ago
Because unfortunately if you print it on paper bags you would often end up preaching to the choir. Plastic bags are cheaper, more resilient, and are in every way except the ecological one better than paper bags. This means that if you're already someone who picks paper over plastic, it's probably because you want to reduce the amount of plastic and this message will mean nothing to you.
Load More Replies...
Jordan Baldridge 7 years ago
Some of these (like the seal in the clock) literally hurt me to see. Powerful but...too much.
Lauren Christie 3 years ago
I'm sorry but - say no to anorexia? Why don't you just do "Say no to schizophrenia" while you're at it?
Shannon M 2 years ago
I’m personally not a fan of the plastic bags— I get what they’re going for, but why make the plastic bags at all? Why not make paper bags… you know, so the plastic isn’t a problem in the first place?? It’s like “Plastic bags are awful and they kill animals— please take our plastic bag to remind you of that”.
Unslaadahsil 1 year ago
Because unfortunately if you print it on paper bags you would often end up preaching to the choir. Plastic bags are cheaper, more resilient, and are in every way except the ecological one better than paper bags. This means that if you're already someone who picks paper over plastic, it's probably because you want to reduce the amount of plastic and this message will mean nothing to you.
Load More Replies... Jordan Baldridge 7 years ago
Some of these (like the seal in the clock) literally hurt me to see. Powerful but...too much.
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